This invention relates in general to playback of an audiovisual production and more specifically to playback of an audiovisual production from a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) while allowing the creation and display of synchronized text messages.
Playback of audiovisual productions using DVDs and DVD players is growing in popularity. Audiovisual productions include music videos, concerts, movies, games, public or private events and other similar types of recorded performances. As used herein, audiovisual productions also generally encompass audio productions, visual productions or other media presentations recorded on a compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD) or other such storage medium or transmitted over satellite or cable systems. Audiovisual productions can be viewed from computer systems, consumer digital devices, and other displays, systems or platforms. Consumer digital devices include video Compact Disk (CD) players or DVD players. Other platforms, such as MPEG players, allow storage or streaming of audiovisual productions over digital networks or the Internet. Unfortunately, playing or viewing previously recorded audiovisual productions are relatively static and do not change. Accordingly, there is diminished motivation for the viewer to return to the production over time. What is needed is a method to enhance the viewing experience and to provide the viewer greater insight into the production each time the production is viewed.
Exchanging text messaging over a digital network is also gaining popularity. Various communication techniques for text messages have been developed. For example, messaging systems based on “bulletin boards” usually provide a common set of functionality to enable open discussions that are available to all viewers in an organized and efficient manner. The organization and efficiency in communication are accomplished with the use of “threads,” which are essentially subject hierarchies. Under each subject hierarchy, an initial message on any topic starts a “thread,” and all messages in response to this initial message are organized with this “thread.” All messages within the same thread are usually organized on a viewer interface with indentations, where the initial message of the thread appears in the leftmost position, and replies to this message are indented. Such indentations provide an easy-to-scan hierarchy of content. Further, text messaging systems based on “bulletin boards” may provide multiple levels of threading whereby responses to an initial message can initiate new, “deeper” threads of their own, thus creating a nested table of replies that can be at once freeform and highly organized.
However, what is needed is a method for viewers of audiovisual productions to discuss the production with other viewers in a manner that encourages communication and that enhances the exchange of opinions and information. Accordingly, there is a great need for coupling features of message threads with the viewing of previously recorded audiovisual productions. However, because many comments are scene specific, the threads need to be linked to specific frames or groups of frames of the audiovisual production. Further, what is needed is a messaging system that provides communications of messages over digital networks that are linked to the performance of an audiovisual production to improve a viewer's enjoyment and inform the viewer upon playback of an audiovisual production.